Chapter Thirteen
Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha or J.R.R. Tolkien
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The moment Inuyasha lept out from the well and landed on the soft grass outside, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Sliding from his back, I hitch the bag on my shoulders a little higher. It was heavy with snacks, clothing, shampoo and conditioner, soap, and most importantly…
Razors.
I turn to look back at the well, frowning slightly in wonder. Would I be able to pass back and forth with ease now? I found that I wasn't exactly in a hurry to find out.
"Hey, you coming or what?" Inuyasha asks as he looks at me curiously, and I spin around, nodding.
"Yeah, I can't wait to see Shippo and Kaede." I reply honestly, moving to walk beside him as we strolled through the forest.
"Oh, I see how it is. So you didn't miss me at all, hm?" Inuyasha asks, dark brow lifted in a teasing manner. I fight back a blush, knowing full well he obviously knew I had. After all, in a moment of weakness I had knelt by the well and begged for him.
"Inuyasha…I need you."
'He'll never let me live that down.' Groaning inwardly I look straight ahead, not rising to his bait. When we enter the village the people there greet us pleasantly, some even asking where I had been the past couple of days. I quickly made up a story about needing to return to my village for a time to see to some 'matters'. That seemed to pacify their curiosity.
"Yua! I'm happy to see ye, child." Kaede greeted me with a smile as we walked through the back door of her home to the garden just beyond. She was bent over, clearly weeding.
"Yua!" Shippo's voice shouts as he bounds out from behind Kaede, having obviously been helping her with the garden. He leaps right up into my arms, wrapping his little arms around my neck and pushing his face just under my chin. I laugh, hugging him back just as tightly then.
"I missed you too, Shippo." I murmur softly to the boy, his nose coming up to brush against my chin. It stays there for a moment as he takes a deep breath, before looking towards Inuyasha, tilting his head upwards even further to expose his throat.
'What the hell is that about?' I think, watching as Inuyasha reaches over and actually runs his claws through the fox demon's hair once. Obviously satisfied, Shippo jumps down, heading back around to where he had been before helping to pull weeds.
'Shippo was greeting Inuyasha as a pack member would greet their Alpha. It's instinctual for both of them.' I feel excitement hearing Mayumi's familiar voice echoing in my head.
'Mayumi! I missed you too!' I can't help the outward grin, too happy to hold it in. 'It's been dull the past couple of days without our conversations.'
'I've missed them too, Yua.' Mayumi giggles in agreement, before going silent once more. It was comforting this time, as I could feel her presence more clearly than before when back in the present era. Kaede finishes her task, standing straight slowly as her back adjusts. Inwardly wincing I feel bad for the old woman having to work so hard.
"I know ye have just returned, but do ye feel up to another task?" Kaede asks then as her one eye gazes at us seriously. "I have heard rumors of villages in the mountains that have gone silent. No news of it's people, or any trade coming in or out. It's mighty suspicious in my opinion."
"You think a jewel shard might be involved?" I ask, blinking in surprise at how quick it seemed these shards were turning up.
"I think it would be worth a look, if ye and Inuyasha are so inclined." Kaede replies, and I look over to said silver haired half demon. Inuyasha crosses his arms, looking serious.
"Might as well. Got nothing better to do." He shrugs his shoulders.
"Alright. I would advise that ye take a boat down the river. It will be much faster." Kaede goes on, before looking at my large backpack. "It appears ye have returned with plenty of provisions?" I laugh some, looking over my shoulder at the bag, before looking back to Kaede.
"Yeah. My Aunt Miyu went a little overboard, but it's appreciated all the same." I reply, remembering vividly feeling rather cocky when she had been standing by the well, shock still in her eyes before we had left. After all, she had just been a phone call away from admitting me into the nearest psychiatric ward.
With love in her heart and my well being in mind, of course.
"Alright, ye two shall leave on the 'morrow. It will give me plenty of time to procure you a boat." Kaede nods, before walking around and heading into the hut. Shippo bounds up then, a handful of new arrows in his arms. I blink in surprise seeing them, kneeling down then to be at his level.
"Shippo, where did you get these?" I ask, astounded. They were made from bamboo, and finely crafted. I had been fully prepared to make the best out of what I could with the sticks we had found earlier, since bamboo wasn't available in this region.
"Kaede and I met with a merchant as he passed through the village. We traded some goods for them." Shippo smiles proudly, and I can't help the warmth that floods through me knowing how thoughtful Kaede and Shippo had been. Kaede especially, having given up some of her things to give me such a beautiful gift.
'And being a priestess no doubt must have helped with the bartering.' I think, also making a mental note to thank Kaede later. "Thank you very much, Shippo. They're wonderful." I compliment, a blush flushing his cheeks as he sheepishly hands them to me. "I'll take very good care of them, I promise."
"I'm going to go and play with some of the village kids now, if that's okay?" Shippo asks, looking from me up to Inuyasha, obviously waiting for his permission. My eyes go wide in surprise at this act of respect, Inuyasha nodding his head.
"Just be back before the sun sets." He replies, Shippo nodding before rushing off, being careful as he runs through the garden. I stand, arrows in my hand resting against my chest.
"Since when have you two started to get along so well?" I asked, looking at Inuyasha dumbfounded. He simply shrugs, his amber eyes trained on Shippo's retreating form. "I mean, if me disappearing is what it takes to help you two bond…" I trail off, Inuyasha scoffing. Another thought hits me. "The village kids…their parents are comfortable enough to let him play with them?"
"Only some of the more open minded ones." Inuyasha replies gruffly. "The ones that don't like demons have their kids stay away, but they also know better than to terrorize him. They wouldn't dare, not with Kaede publicly showing him favor." I hum in understanding, happy to hear that Shippo was at least able to make friends.
"I feel like I've been gone for weeks, not days." I admit, turning fully to look out over the river that glistened in the distance. Kaede's hut was on a small hill, making it easy to see as it flowed through the village.
"Do you want to go back?"
Inuyasha's abrupt question catches me off-guard for a moment. His voice his hard, like he's defensive. I turn to look at him, taking a moment before shaking my head.
"No." I answer, and the honesty of it even shakes me. "Grandpa, Aunt Miyu, and my cousins all now know I'm safe. Of course I'd like to visit them, but I'm in no hurry to go back." Inuyasha turns his head to look at me as well, his amber eyes watching with some unreadable emotion. Whatever it was, I felt compelled to open up a little more. "I…I didn't exactly have the best life there. Not until I got to the Shrine, at least."
"Your family didn't seem too bad." Inuyasha comments, frowning. "I mean, your one cousin I met was kinda annoying. He just wouldn't shut up." He mutters the last bit, but I hear it all the same and can't help laughing.
"That's Sota. You didn't get a chance to meet Kagome." I remind him. Kagome had been too terrified after everything that happened to set foot outside of their home, and Inuyasha had refused to set foot inside. "He honestly grows on you. He's kind-hearted, and he really does mean well. All of them do. They took me in and gave me a home, rather than leaving me as an orphan."
"Orphan?" He asks sharply. "Your parents are dead?"
"Yeah." I answer, for the first time realizing we hadn't really talked about me. Not even when I could have related back when we had dealt with the loss of both his parents. "My Mother died like yours, of a sickness." It had been cancer, but I really didn't feel like explaining that at the moment. "It was four years ago. I was fourteen at the time."
"How come you've never mentioned that before?"
"My Mother and I weren't close." I answer honestly, shrugging my shoulders. "She and I didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things as I got older. To be honest, she was too busy with her own life to really get to know her."
"What about your Dad?"
I feel resentment kick up from deep inside of me as I look away, my hands tightening into fists. Did I tell him that he was abusive? That he had hit me hard enough to leave bruises when he was angry? Did I tell him after my Mother died he became a drunk, the abuse becoming more frequent because of it? About how he would spend all his money on booze, smokes, and gambling, leaving so little for food that I had to work a part time job while in school by the time I was fifteen just to buy groceries and pay rent?
Did I tell him that he had nearly killed me when he had gotten behind the wheel drunk to pick me up from my friend's house?
On the way home he had swerved into oncoming traffic, hitting another car head on. He had killed a woman and her two children, and he himself had thankfully died two days later in the hospital. I was bed-ridden for a month after the surgery to fix my punctured lung from three broken ribs.
"He drank himself to death six months ago." I answer shortly, deciding it wasn't best to lay all that out. Nobody wanted to hear stories like mine, and it was best just left in the past. Silence hangs over us for moments afterwards, and I can feel it's because he doesn't know what to say.
"I had no idea." He eventually decides to go with, and I'm pleasantly surprised. Usually people tend to say they are sorry, which I never really got. How can you be sorry about something you couldn't control? That had nothing to even do with you? I find I like his response better.
"It's done, and he had made it very easy to move on." I respond, looking back to Inuyasha then, finding I could finally look at him. "I'm enjoying my time in this era. It's peaceful." 'Like I could start a new life here.' I add in afterthought. "Besides, I don't think after all this time we've spent together you'd know what to do without me!" This heavy tension needed to be broken, so I poke at his side teasingly as I say it. He smirks, batting my hand way lightly.
"As if." He mutters, but there is a warm fondness in his voice that causes butterflies to erupt in my stomach. Simultaneously we both look back to the river, the silence now comfortable as the wind lightly picks up in a cooling breeze.
Yeah…I could definitely find my place here.
Inuyasha's POV
I lean back against the wall in Kaede's hut, arms and legs both crossed as usual. Shippo and Yua were both asleep together by the fire, the little fox demon having crawled in with her against her chest earlier in the evening. He had begged her to continue the story from before, Yua easily remembering where she had left off with those creatures she called Hobbits and Dwarves.
Even I had to admit I found the story more interesting as she progressed with it. Especially when the group took on the three Trolls.
Looking over their sleeping forms my eyes once again trail to Yua's face, relaxed and looking peaceful in her sleep. She hadn't looked this relaxed the night before, when we had stayed in her era to recoup. I had rested in a tree just outside of her cousin's bedroom, and when she had rolled over in her sleep her face had been screwed tight as if in a terrible dream.
'Then again, can't blame her for being stressed in that environment.' I think, remembering the all the noises coming from the city below. I hadn't gotten any sleep myself that night between the noise and the nauseating smell of what Yua had described as pollution. It had made my chest feel heavy and tight.
I was just as glad as she was to be back home.
Home. I had used that term with her as well, and after our conversation this afternoon, there wasn't a doubt in my mind she felt the same as I did about this era. It was home to her, and it was clearly where she wanted to stay.
For some reason that made me feel good.
Seeing her for the first time in days when I had come through the well had sent a wave of relief over me much stronger than I would have anticipated. Had I missed her that much? Had I really been that worried? This girl was getting into my head even worse than Mayumi had.
Mayumi.
I frown, looking down at my arms then as my brows furrow. I fully expected to feel that intense pain of loss again deep in my chest. It was still there, but to my surprise it was a lot less sharp. I couldn't be getting over her already? She was the love of my life! And I really couldn't be getting over her because of her own reincarnation! Something felt so twisted about that.
'But she's not Mayumi.' My inner dialogue pipped up. 'You even said it yourself, she looks nothing like her now you've gotten to know her.' This was true. Looking at Yua now I didn't see Mayumi any longer. I just saw her.
And her pretty green eyes.
'Fuck, this is bad!' I think to myself, eyes widening when the breeze drifts through the nearby window, and her scent washes over me. It was slightly different, something more like green apples, but the undertone of her natural scent was still comfortingly there.
Closing my eyes I try to relax and get some sleep, knowing tomorrow and the days to follow would most likely be long and sleep probably wouldn't come easy with looking out those two.
Evidently, sleep wouldn't come easy tonight either.
Yua's POV
The next morning went by quickly, and saying goodbye to Kaede had been a little difficult. It felt like I had just gotten back, and I was leaving again for who knows how long.
At least this time I knew I'd be coming back.
"It's beautiful out here." I murmur as I look around from the centre of the boat. Inuyasha sat in the back with the prop to steer, the current of the river doing it's job so far to keep us moving. Shippo sat at the front, leaning over the point of the small boat towards the water below. We were in a ravine, surrounded by rocky cliffs topped with green trees. The sun was out, but it wasn't blistering hot. 'Thank you for the sunscreen, Aunt Miyu.'
Suddenly Shippo lets out a pained groan.
I blink, realizing then that Shippo wasn't hanging over the front of the boat for his own pleasure, he was doing so because he was feeling sick. "Poor guy." I murmur with a frown, leaning forward and grabbing him by the hips, gently pulling him back into my chest. He looked sicker than a dog, his eyes unfocused.
"Shippo." Inuyasha sighs in disappointment. "You call yourself a demon? You're not supposed to get seasick!" I frown at him, shooting him a look from over my shoulder.
"It's not like he can help it." I point out to Inuyasha, gently running my fingers through Shippo's hair in hopes to bring him some comfort.
"I'm not trying." Shippo agrees weakly.
"This is pathetic." Inuyasha goes on, clearly ignoring my look from earlier. "How are we supposed to be finding shards unless you two snap to it!" I roll my eyes. This guy was obsessive! Looking ahead once more I frown, noticing something stringing across the river. They looked like spiderwebs!
'Thankfully not made of hair this time.' I think, remembering Yura and shuddering slightly. To think that someday I would feel relieved to see an actual spiderweb. 'But these are huge!' I frown, not wanting to run into the spider that had made them.
"They're spiderwebs." Inuyasha confirms from behind us. He stands, the boat rocking slightly as he does, so he can catch some of the webbing. Using his claws he cuts some loose, inspecting it in his hand. His gaze turns decidedly serious as he glares at the strands left in his hand, clenching it into a fist.
"Master Inuyasha, what manner of webs are they?" Myoga jumps up onto his shoulder then. He had joined us at the last minute, reappearing this morning at the riverbank where we had departed from.
"Nothing to be concerned about." Inuyasha answers, contradicting his look from earlier. I feel a nervous energy fall over the boat, looking upwards towards a high point in the ridge.
There was someone up there!
"Hey!" I call, pointing to the shadowed figure. "Inuyasha, are you seeing this?"
"I can see her." His superior sight came in handy, quickly identifying the figure as a woman before I could see myself.
"Keep away from me!" She screams at something as we get closer, confirming he was right. My eyes widen as I see something jump out at her, and with a scream she falls from the cliff. Without a second thought Inuyasha launches from the boat, catching the girl bridal style in his arms in mid-air.
'Why can't he ever carry me like that. Noooo, I'm always out of sight on his back.' I think with irrational irritation as he lands with her on a rock in the distance. Looking back up to the ridge I watch the thing that had extended out to attack the girl retreat. Inuyasha sees it too as I move back to guide the boat closer to him and the girl. With Shippo's help we come beside them, and I place my hands on the rock to stop the boat from continuing to move down stream.
"That looked like a demon." He confirms, the girl slowly waking in his arms.
She's pretty.
"My thanks, you saved me from certain death." She turns to him, a grateful look in her brown eyes. That look soon turns to one of horror as I watch her notice his ears. She lets out a gasp, getting Inuyasha's attention as well.
"Huh?" He questions, looking down at her.
"Demon! Unhand me!" She shouts, lashing out and hitting him in the back of the head. It was a bad choice on her part as they both go toppling into the river below. I frown, waiting for them both to surface, and they do one after the other. The girl screams loudly, thrashing her way over to the rock to hold onto, Inuyasha looking entirely unimpressed as he wades there against the current.
"Hey." I frown at the girl, her eyes snapping towards me. I can tell she's looking over me carefully to make sure I was human. "We're not here to hurt you. Do you think he would have saved you if that was the case?" I ask, trying to keep the irritation I felt towards this girl out of my voice. She pauses, looking from me, to Shippo, towards Inuyasha's annoyed face, but doesn't answer. I sigh, looking ahead and seeing a place by the cliffside that was low enough and flat enough to stop.
"Listen, grab a hold of the boat, and I'll guide us over to the riverbank." I tell her, watching as she hesitates for a moment. "Do you want to drown or not?!" I snap, Inuyasha's eyes immediately going to me and looking at me with a raised eyebrow.
What? I could be a grumpy bitch too!
Finally doing as I ask, she grabs the edge of the boat, Inuyasha swimming around to the other side and doing the same. I direct it to the beach without a problem, the girl letting go as soon as her feet could touch bottom and lifting herself out of the water. Inuyasha instead took over, pulling the boat in with him till it was up against the rocky side of the bank. I lowered the small anchor in place as he lifts himself out and shakes the water from his clothing. I grab Shippo and lift him up into my arms, carefully stepping from the boat onto solid ground.
"You okay?" I frown as I walk up to him first, letting Shippo down. He was already doing much better on solid land.
"Yeah, fine." Inuyasha grumbles, looking drenched. "I'll dry soon enough." He sighs. "This is why I don't help humans. Ungrateful idiots." I turn to said human as she watches us interact with a guarded look. Clearly she has been brought up to be cautious of demons, and after the ones we have met thus far, I honestly can't say I blame her for being scared of Inuyasha at first. Inuyasha sits down by the riverside, continuing to try and flick the water out of the sleeves of his kimono as I walk over to the girl.
"What is your name?" I ask then with a frown, the girl sitting down weakly. I kneel down with her, remaining eye level. She still looked unsure, even of me.
"Nazuna." She replies softly.
'Even her name is pretty.' I grumble to myself. "What happened to you back there?"
"It was a demon known as a Spider-Head. These mountains have been plagued with them since spring-time. Several villages have already been attacked." She explains, a deep frown on his face. I glance over my shoulder to see if Inuyasha is paying attention, and though his back is to us, his one ear is tilted to listen. "Spider-Heads trap humans in their webs, paralyze them and devour them alive. They're terrifying demons."
"No kidding." I mutter lowly, frowning. Could there be a chance that these Spider-Head demons had any of the jewel shards? 'They had been a problem before the Shikon no Tama had been busted though.' "What do you think, Inuyasha?" I turn to ask him, his back still facing us.
"Have you sensed any jewel fragments?" He asks, his head tilted up as he looked over the ridge on the other side of the ravine. I frown.
"No, not yet. I also didn't sense anything from the Spider-Head that attacked Nazuna just now." I admit honestly. "If one of the demons has one, though, it could just be that it is far enough away I can't sense it." Inuyasha remains silent for a moment, before tilting his head back down and standing.
"Then let's move out. I want to cross these mountains before nightfall." He insists, surprising me slightly. I had yet to see Inuyasha walk away from even the remote chance at finding shards. Besides, what about these villages? What if we could help?
"Are you sure we can't spare the time to even look into it?" I ask as I stand, trying not to sound too confrontational. I knew by now that trying to order him around didn't work at all. He turns, a bored look on his face.
"Listen, I don't go slaying demons every time a human comes running to me." He insists, and I tilt my head. Well this is a new angle for him.
"Wasn't saying you do." I reply easily, shrugging my shoulders. "I've just never known you to be chicken enough not to meet something head on." I reply innocently, waiting for his reaction.
"Chicken?!" He exclaims, glaring at me now as he turns around sharply. "I'm not scared!"
"Sure sounds like it to me." I stand as well, clasping my hands behind my back as I try to look as innocent as possible.
"What the hell do I have to be afraid of?! I'm stronger than a bunch of stupid Spider-Head demons!" He insists, glaring at me as if I had offended him in the worst manner.
"Well, I guess we'll never know, will we?" I fight back a smile, his face dropping as he looks at me unimpressed.
"I'd rather not be obliged to a demon anyways." Nazuna sniffs in a spoiled manner as she stands as well. I inwardly wince hearing her.
'Not helping your case!'
"You know, some gratitude might sit better with us." Shippo points out on behalf of demons.
"Insolent beast!" Nazuna screams at the poor boy, causing him to close in on himself.
"Hey!" I snap at her, frowning. She looks at me, and I'm happy to see she at least looks nervous. "Don't be such a brat. We could have left you to fall and drown, but we didn't. Not all demons are bad news." I point out to her. I frown as she turns away from me, snubbing me as well now and heading towards the vines to climb up the cliff side.
"Thank you for reminding me why I hate demons so much!" She exclaims as she begins to climb. She only makes it five or six feet up, before karma catches up to her and she falls to the ground. I wince, walking over and grabbing her under the arms to try and help her out. She cries out in pain as soon as she tries putting pressure on her right foot.
"Looks like it might be sprained, or at the very least badly twisted." I frown as I can see the swelling start around her right ankle. I sigh, wrapping her arm over my shoulders to help steady her before looking towards Inuyasha. "Either way now we gotta at least help her back to her home. If anything just to get rid of her." Ignoring the girl's indignant huff, I try to appeal to Inuyasha once more. "And honestly it wouldn't hurt to look into it. We wouldn't want to pass this by and miss out on any of the jewel shards."
"Alright, already!" Inuyasha snaps, throwing his arms into the air as if he was giving up. "If it will get you to stop nagging at me we'll go!" I blink, a little shocked. This had been the most irritable he's acted in days.
'I should have known it wouldn't last.' I sigh to myself sadly, brushing off my feelings on the matter as I turn back to Nazuna.
"So which way to your village?"
The sun has nearly set by the time we finally make it to Nazuna's village, the temple easily spotted sitting high on a ridge. Inuyasha was currently carrying Nazuna on his back, though it had been difficult to convince both of them that would be the fastest way to travel. As we climb the stairs both Inuyasha and Nazuna continued to refuse to acknowledge one and other, and secretly I was fine with that.
'There really isn't any need to be jealous, you know.' Mayumi's coy voice speaks up as I once again fight back how uncomfortable I felt with the pretty girl currently on his back.
'Stop. I'm not jealous. I don't care if he finds Nazuna attractive.' I insist, and I could almost even convince myself.
Almost.
Mayumi's tinkling laughter is all the confirmation I need to know I hadn't convinced her. When we get to the top through the gate we are greeted by an elderly priest. He looks absolutely exhausted, his eyes drooping and feet scuffing across the ground.
"You have returned. Are you injured, Nazuna?" He asks, his voice gruff. With a shout of joy Nazuna elbows Inuyasha, causing him to drop her down and she runs towards the old man.
"Master" She exclaims happily.
'Well her ankle certainly seems better now.' I can't help noticing, lifting an eyebrow as she falls at his feet, her body shaking. He comes closer, his face now filled with concern as he rests a hand on her back.
"I feared that a Spider-Head might have attacked you." He frowned, and Nazuna turns to gaze at her right ankle then, a pathetic look on her face.
You have got to be kidding me. Now it hurts?
"It spied me when I tended to the grave sites." She admits, her eyes narrowing as she looks over towards Inuyasha and Shippo then. "I had no choice but to rely on these demons to get me home." She adds with resentment clear in her voice. My eyes narrow, hands clenching tightly into fists as Shippo leans against my left leg, his little hands gripping onto my pant leg. I look down at him, seeing him frowning as well, a tinge of hurt on his face.
That spoiled little bitch.
"I'm sorry, Master." Nuzuna apologies, ducking her head in shame.
"All demons are not created equal, you know." Shippo speaks up bravely, and I can't help feeling a swell of pride in him at that moment. I place my hand on top of his head, running my fingers soothingly through his hair.
"You're right, Shippo." I murmur to the boy, smiling down at him, before looking back towards the girl and priest.
"I don't suppose they are." The elderly priest admits.
"Oh man." Inuyasha replies disdainfully. "Don't worry, we're leaving anyway." He turns his gaze away from them, his nose lifted into the air. To be honest this time I couldn't blame him for his attitude.
"No, you must rest! Stay here the night at the temple." The priest offered, Nuzuna quickly protesting to the idea. He places a hand on her shoulder. "Go, prepare a meal for your kind guests." Nazuna hardly looks thrilled as she sighs, standing up.
"Yes." She mutters, shoulders slumped before she goes without further argument to do as asked. I frown as I watch her go, before the elderly man speaks up once more.
"I beg you to forgive Nazuna for her rudeness." He apologizes for her, and I can tell both Shippo and Inuyasha are caught slightly off-guard by the courtesy. It even as Inuyasha looking back towards the old man. "Her parents were killed by a Spider-Head, so she now harbors an understandable distrust for demons."
Oh…well now I felt like an asshole.
"I have attempted to quell her fears, but to no avail." He finishes in defeat. I look over the mountains beyond this temple, the sun slowly setting between them. Would we run into more of these infamous Spider-Head demons while traveling through? At this point it seemed more than likely.
"Do you by chance know how many Spider-Head demons are in these parts?" I can't help asking as I turn back to look at the priest.
"As men continue to die in the wars, the population grows in leaps and bounds." He answered solemnly.
'Me thinks we should stay the night.' I look to Inuyasha, who still looks on the fence about even staying for the food. I feel Mayumi's presence in my head, tingling but she doesn't say anything. It was like she was going to say something, but then thought better of it. 'Mayumi?' I question in concern, but I don't receive an answer. "It might not be a bad idea to stay the night here, where we have shelter." I finally speak up after a few moments of silence. "It wouldn't be ideal to run into one of those things during the night." My logic is sound, I know it, Shippo looks like he knows it.
Inuyasha is still looking uncertain.
"Stay the night with us and rest with ease." The priest implores Inuyasha again. "I have posted sutras throughout the temple to ward off any demons from attacking us." This, for some reason, seems to soften Inuyasha up.
"I suppose there is no sense in arguing." He grumbles stubbornly, looking away from me once more. I frown, my concern for him growing.
'What was with him today? He has hardly been able to look me in the eyes all day!' I think, trying to remember if I had done something worse than usual to piss him off between last night and now.
"Please, follow me. We will get you settled and Nazuna will be bringing your food shortly." The priest states eagerly, before turning and leading us further into the temple.
An hour later the crickets were chirping away outside as we sat in the warm hut, finishing the admittedly delicious food that Nazuma had brought.
"Maybe we should stick around and get to know Nazuna more." Shippo groans, letting himself lean back against my green backpack. "She sure can cook!" I laugh softly at that.
"They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach." I quote the old saying as I look over to him.
"Where did you hear that nonsense?" Inuyasha asks, taking a break from staring out the sliver of an opening he had left in our doorway. He had Tessaiga leaning against his shoulder as he sat cross-legged, his amber eyes surveying the grounds. I can't help the rising concern once more, noting that he hadn't even bothered to touch his food. I set my own almost empty bowl of rice down, shrugging my shoulders.
"It's just a saying that a lot of older women in my time go by." I reply, before tilting my head curiously. "Why? What do you think is the way to a man's heart?"
"Loyalty." He answers shortly, surprising me, before he turns his attention back outside. His entire body was tense, and eyes hard. Something was up with him, I could feel it. Again I feel Mayumi's presence, but she doesn't say anything.
"You going to eat?" I ask, hating how timid my voice sounded in that moment. When did I start feeling like I had to walk on eggshells around this guy?
"Not hungry." Another short response. Frustration was slowly starting to take over my concern.
"Inuyasha, what is-" I don't get a chance to finish my sentence before he snaps at me.
"I'm fine. Even if I weren't, it's none of your business if I don't want to tell you." His tone his sharp, and I can't stop the hurt that blooms in my chest.
"Hey! That was rude." Shippo pipes up unwisely, crossing his arms as he glares at him. "She's just worried about you. You've been acting strange!" He gets up from his spot, walking over towards him.
'You're testing fate, boy.' I think to myself, backing off before I say anything. There was only one way Shippo was going to learn to leave well enough alone. He climbs up Inuyasha's arm to his shoulder, looking him right in the eyes as his own narrow.
"I think I know what's going on here…" He trails off, and I'm a little surprised to see Inuyasha draw back from him, looking unsure. Like he was afraid Shippo was onto something. "You're afraid of spiders!" He exclaims, pointing at him. Clearly thinking he had nailed it, Shippo even goes as far as to transform himself into the illusion of a spider. A rather ridiculous one, but a spider nonetheless. I sigh heavily, shoulder slumping as I wait for it.
TWACK!
Inuyasha easily shoves Shippo's head down in his spider form, pressing him to the ground. "I'm not afraid of spiders!" Inuyasha growls, clearly annoyed. Huffing he lets Shippo go after a few more minutes before he stands, pushing the sliding door open more.
"Hey! Where are you going?" I ask, brows furrowing in confusion as I raise myself up onto my knees. He had been dealt worse with Shippo's pranks. How come this one had set him off to the point he felt he had to leave.
"Getting some fresh air!" Inuyasha bites out, not even bothering to turn to face us as he steps out onto the wrap around deck. "I'm sleeping outside tonight." And with that he was gone. I make a noise of disbelief, sitting back once more. Shippo looks just as confused as me, glancing from me, back to Inuyasha, before back to me with guilt.
"I didn't mean to make him that angry." Shippo admits sadly, and I sigh heavily.
"I really don't think it's you, Shippo." I console him, moving around to gather our dishes together.
"Did you two get into a fight?" He asks then, and I frown.
"Not that I'm aware of." I admit as I shake my head. "Maybe it's his time of the month." I mutter under my breath. For some strange reason I feel Mayumi's humor, even as she continues to remain silent. I hardly have time to think about it before Inuyasha is backing into the hut, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Then I felt it too.
A coldness washes over me, the hairs on my arms standing on end as I quickly grab for my bow and arrows. "Shippo, get behind me!" I order the boy, and he does so as I quickly notch an arrow. "I thought this place was supposed to have wards against these guys?" I ask, watching as one Spider-Head after another appears in front of our hut. Inuyasha stood next to me in the doorway, scoffing.
"Clearly not."
Though I'm not a fan of spiders, I'm certainly not scared of them. These Spider-Heads, however, were by far the creepiest demons I had yet to lay eyes on. Their eyes glowed menacingly in the dark, white fangs glinting in the torchlight. The ones in front of us were almost human in figure, with a body, two arms and two legs. However, that was really where the similarities ended. Their arms were lengthier, legs skinnier, and their torsos was bent over slightly in a permanent hunch. Some of the Spider-Heads even carried swords with them.
'Like warriors.' I realize with horror, my eyes widening. 'Wait a minute, this must be what the Master meant when he talked about the dead soldiers. They turned into these things!'
"How many are there?" I ask Inuyasha, wondering how we were going to get out of this mess. Inuyasha hesitates, and I look up to him. "Inuyasha?"
"I don't know." He grits out, his right arm reaching out between my body and my bow, slowly pressing me backwards into the hut with him. "We're surrounded." Suddenly there is a crunching sound from inside the hut.
"Look out!" Shippo cries, quickly scrambling up my back to my shoulder. "They're behind us too!" I frown, relaxing my drawstring and turning sharply, throwing my right hand outwards palm up. Forcing my energy forward, I watch as the two Spider-Head demons fly backwards across the hut and through the east wall, falling unconscious on the yard just beyond.
"That was a lot easier than I had thought it would be." I say in surprise, glancing down at my hand, before turning around once more to face the demons out front, drawing my bow back again.
"They are great in number, but they are not a formidable enemy." Myoga states calmly from Inuyasha's shoulder.
"Well they must not be if you're sticking around." I can't help poking at the flea. He laughs sheepishly in response.
"Up for some after dinner exercise, Master?" Myoga asks Inuyasha as he calmly eats his own very small bowl of rice.
"Oh yeah! 'Ward them off'." Inuyasha scoffs, taking an agitated shot at the priest. "So much for the priest's sutras!" He insults as he draws Tessaiga.
Instantly I know something is off.
'Tessaiga isn't transforming!' My eyes widen in surprise. 'What's going on with it?'
'This is no time for questions, Yua. Tonight they are going to have to rely on you for protection!' Mayumi states seriously.
'What? Why me? Inuyasha is the half-demon with all the power!' I exclaim in wonder. I mean sure, I can hold my own, but I'm not egotistical enough to believe I'm anywhere near as strong as Inuyasha yet.
'Like I said, don't ask questions, just be prepared!' Mayumi snaps, and my irritation flares up once more.
'Why is everyone in such a bad mood?!'
Inuyasha charges nonetheless at the Spider-Heads, swinging the dull blade from side to side. It wasn't doing much, save for knocking them down. My eyes widen as I see two approaching Inuyasha from behind, swords raised.
"Inuyasha! Look out!" I exclaim, before letting my arrow fly. It glows brightly in the darkness, lighting its own path until I use my control to stop its flight between both of the demons. It explodes, disintegrating them on the spot. Inuyasha is left standing there in the dusty aftermath, his amber eyes wide with shock, just like my own green ones.
How had he not sensed them?
"Run! Find someplace to hide!" Inuyasha shouts at Shippo and I then, but Mayumi quickly bursts forth in my head.
'NO! Don't listen to him! You need to stay!' She contradicts.
'You didn't even need to say it, Mayumi. I'm not going anywhere, no matter what he says.' I think to her, loading another arrow and shooting it at another demon as it clamber's forth.
"I told you to run!" Inuyasha's tone deepens, that familiar warmth shuddering through me and pressuring me to listen. I fight it off, instead raising my hand up to raise a barrier in front of him, webbing just narrowly missing attaching to his right side. It burns on contact with my aura, and I send Inuyasha a determined look.
"We're not going anywhere." I reply firmly, Shippo nodding in agreement on my shoulder. He leaps up from my shoulder, directing himself to three incoming demons.
"Foxfire!" Shippo shouts, the demons flying out of the way, deterred for the time being.
"We need to find somewhere to hide!" I exclaim then, looking towards Inuyasha. He nods, grabbing at my upper arm as Shippo leaps onto my shoulder once more. Without a word he starts to pull us away from the hut and into the woods nearby.
'Wait…he's breathing really hard.' I think to myself with concern, his labored breathing as we ran causing me worry. 'And…and we're running. Normally he'd just pick me up onto his back and we'd get out of here. Shippo wouldn't be that much of an extra burden of weight for him.'
And was his hair getting darker at the roots?
By the time we get to the clearing I'm looking at Inuyasha in absolute disbelief. The dark roots had continued to crawl down his silver hair till it took over. 'His ears are gone!' I gasp, noticing that next. Finally, when he turns to us, I'm not staring into his usual amber eyes. No. They're brown.
"I-Inuyasha?" I ask softly, looking down at the hand that still held onto my upper harm tightly. No claws!
He was human!
Inuyasha finally lets go of me, kneeling down and breathing heavily as he used the dull Tessaiga to lean on. He looked exhausted. I drop down to my knees in front of him, Shippo jumping off to stand by him on the ground as well.
"Inuyasha, what's happening to you?" I ask sharply, concern easily heard in my voice. He refuses to look up to me now, brown eyes downcast as his right hand tightened around the hilt of his sword. He looked…ashamed. Embarrassed even.
"If you think you can rely on my strength to save you this time, you can think again." He responds, sitting down cross legged now as he catches his breath. Finally looking up to me I'm awestruck at his decidedly human features.
He was handsome. Not that he wasn't before as well.
'Trust Inuyasha to make looking human attractive as well.' I think dryly to myself, moving to sit on my left hip, my legs curling to the side. Shippo jumps down in front of me, slowly creeping up to Inuyasha and giving him a sniff.
"It's Inuyasha alright, but all that's left is the overwhelming stench of human." He wrinkles his nose. Judging by the grimace that flashes over Inuyasha's face, he wasn't exactly proud of this.
"You're lucky my fangs and claws are gone." He growls in threat to the boy, causing Shippo to back up and sit down by my knees.
"I'm still confused about what's going on." I frown then, Myoga finally speaking up to hopefully give some answers.
"All half-demons such as Lord Inuyasha are subject to certain times when they lose their supernatural powers as demons." Myoga answers from his perch on my shoulder.
"So he is human right now?" I ask, though really I don't need the confirmation now.
"From time to time half demons are rendered no stronger than yourself, or any other mere mortal." Myoga goes on. "For him the time falls on the first night of the new cycle, when the moon is dark."
'So this is what you meant before. Why didn't you tell me?' I demand from Mayumi, inwardly frustrated. If I had known this was the cause to his attitude today, that this was the reason he had wanted to push through, I wouldn't have insisted we divert from our path!
'It wasn't my secret to tell.' Mayumi responded simply, before once again going silent.
"Why Master?!" Myoga suddenly cries out, leaping over to his shoulder. "Why did you not inform us that your period of vulnerability was impending?!"
"Because if I had you would have taken off a long time ago." Inuyasha mutters to Myoga, but I'm hit hard in the chest realizing he wasn't just talking to him.
He thought Shippo and I would abandon him as well if we knew?
'He puts so much self-worth into his strength as a demon, that he's afraid to share this side with people. He's afraid that they won't value him any more. That they'll abandon him.' I realize with sadness. This was a whole new side to Inuyasha I had yet to see.
"Hey, how could you think that?" I demand, looking at him intently, and he looks to me with guarded brown eyes. Beautiful brown eyes. "Why would we leave you? Especially when you're the most vulnerable?"
"A demon would." Inuyasha replies pointedly, and Shippo frowns deeply.
"Well I'm not a demon, and Shippo is still here." I reply firmly. "We're not going anywhere. I made you a promise, and I'm going to keep it." I state with determination, causing Inuyasha's eyes to widen slightly. "I'm not leaving you." He blinks, as if trying to process as I glare him down, still angry with him for lying to me.
I was also hurt that he hadn't trusted me after everything we had been through together.
Regardless, I could understand, and I could see it from his point of view. No doubt keeping this a secret has been what has kept him alive all these decades, centuries really. Why would he trust some girl he just met a little over a month ago? It was logical, but just because I could see that didn't mean it hurt any less.
"Now we have got to figure out how to get out of this mess." I sigh softly, brushing my bangs back from my face. "How long do you stay in your human form?"
"Till sunrise." Inuyasha answers easily then. I feel some elation knowing I had gotten through to him. That or he just figures there is not point in being secretive now. "If we can hide out till then I'll have no problem taking out those Spider-Head demons."
"Does it hurt?" I ask suddenly, frowning as I tilt my head. He looks confused.
"Does what hurt?"
"Transforming into a human?" His eyes widen a little in understanding as I clarify my question, before he shakes his head. He even has a small smile on his face, clearly finding amusement in my innocent question.
"Nah. I just get really tired, and my senses feel like they're stuffed. It's like having a cold." He obviously tries to answer as best possible. I wrinkle my nose slightly.
That sounds incredibly uncomfortable to me, but then again, I'm a baby when I get sick.
Suddenly the bushes near us begin to shake. Inuyasha and I both stand as he moves in front of me out of instinct. Shippo hides behind my legs, his eyes only just inching past them to see the figure that stumbles into our clearing. My racing heart calms slightly when I see it's just Nazuna.
'Never actually thought I'd be happy to see her.' I admit, Mayumi giving a dry laugh in response. 'She looks beaten up.' I frown then in genuine worry, the girl's eyes looking dazed. She falls onto her hands and knees breathing heavily, before she looks up towards us with large brown eyes.
"Please, you must return and help the priest." I blink in surprise, walking over and kneeling in front of her.
"Where is he?" I ask, sensing the worry coming off of her in waves.
"He's back in the main temple. The Spider-Heads have him trapped in their webs, paralyzed." Nazuna replies urgently. "Your demon is strong, I'm certain he can save him!"
"Huh. You said you didn't want to be obliged to demons." Inuyasha points out sourly, crossing his arms and turning his eyes from the girl. I honestly couldn't begrudge him that, but we also couldn't let an innocent old man die because of his pride. "Get the priest to write up some more those sutras."
"Why is your hair black?" Nazuna ask,s rather than responding to his sarcastic comments. Her eyes are now locked on his dark hair, but they move from that to where his ears should be.
"It isn't easy being human, believe me." Inuyasha replies dryly, turning his head from her more. Nazuna's eyes widen as she gets a clear view of Inuyasha's very human ear.
'We could do it, Yua. These are just normal demons. They don't have possession of the jewel shards.' Mayumi speaks up.
I feel like a bucket of ice is dumped over me.
'Oh fuck.' I think, hand slowly reaching up to feel around my neck. No string.
'You didn't!' Mayumi gasps in horror, clearly understanding my dilemma. 'They're back in the hut in your bag.' She realizes with a long groan. 'Yua!'
'Inuyasha is going to kill me.' I think wide eyed, throat closing up with nerves.
'Well, actually, of all the nights to piss him off you've chosen a pretty good one. You're more powerful than him for a change. You at least stand a chance.' Mayumi replies, and I can just see her shrugging her shoulders at me. I smack my hand against my forehead.
'That really doesn't help!'
"What's your problem?" Inuyasha breaks me from my conversation with Mayumi, looking at me curiously. With a large sigh I slowly slide the palm of my hand from my forehead, looking down at my knees.
"I need you to remember I just told you I'd stand by you through anything." I point out to him, and his face quickly grows suspicious.
"What the fuck have you done, Yua?" He demands then, and I try to look as innocent as I can.
Aw, hell, I already knew that look didn't work on him!
"So…I may have left the jewel shard inside of my backpack…which is back at the Spider-Head infested hut." I mutter sheepishly, and Inuyasha's face drops in absolutely shock for only a second.
"You…did…WHAT?!" I swear his voice could have shaken the very trees around us.
"Shut up you moron! You're going to give away our hiding place!" I hiss at him, meeting his angry gaze head on.
"Of all the stupid, forgetful…you left the shards there? How could you forget them?" Inuyasha continues to rant, his voice now hissing at me barely above a whisper.
"Uh, there was the matter of the dozens of Spider-Heads and saving your ass not once, but twice!" I exclaim in the same raised whisper, holding out my index finger and middle finger in count. "That's right, I was counting! Twice! You might as well be a damsel in distress tonight!"
Oh, that did not go over well.
I could almost see the steam coming out of his ears at that, his face flushed with anger as his body nearly vibrates with it. He lets out a low growl, before slowing releasing his breath and relaxing his shoulders. He's mumbling as if he is giving himself pep talking, before finally going silent and giving me a hard stare.
"You stay here with Nazuna." He dictates, shoving Tessaiga at me. I frown in confusion, looking between the sword in his offered hand, to him. "Tessaiga won't transform for me tonight, but I'll be able to handle a few Spider-Heads on my own strength."
Woah, I don't think so.
I push the Tessaiga back towards him stubbornly then, narrowing my eyes at him. "What did I say before? I'm not letting you go out there alone." I look to Shippo then. "You stay with Nazuna to protect her. Use your illusions to make sure you guys stay hidden. Hopefully we've made it far enough off of temple grounds for the Spider-Heads not to bother."
"What?" Shippo asks nervously then. "A-are you sure?"
"You can do this Shippo." I state confidently to him, nodding. "Inuyasha and I will go and retrieve the jewel shards." 'I mean, it's the least I can do since it's my fault anyways.' I beat myself up once more for being so careless.
Inuyasha slides Tessaiga back into his belt then, frowning as he looks at me. A tense moment passes, and I know he's still thinking it's a bad idea that I come. I meet his stare head on, stubbornness no doubt very apparent on my face as he soon gives in with a sigh.
"Alright, come on then, let's go." He mutters, turning and heading in the direction of he temple. I give Shippo one last smile, before turning and catching up to him.
"Yua," Inuyasha speaks up seriously after we're out of earshot of the others, "if things do go bad, I want you to get out of there as soon as possible. Jewel shards or not." My mouth drops open in surprise hearing the last bit as I stare at him in shock. He's still looking straight ahead, not bothering to meet my gaze.
He's putting my life in front of the shards?
I already knew him well enough to know that he'd put his life on the line for Shippo and I. That had become vividly apparent when we had gone up against the Thunder Brothers. After we were gone he could have chosen to take what jewels shards he did have, and leave. Instead, he had become angry when he thought us lost, and killed Hiten as a result. This, though, saying that my life was more important to him than the jewel shards, was a huge step. So much so that I don't know what to say for a moment.
"It won't come to that."
When we get to the hut we can hear someone rummaging around inside. I grab my bow and arrows, getting ready as we come around to the doorway.
It's the priest!
My eyes widen in shock as I see him hunched over the bag, digging through it urgently. With a cry he finds the jewel shards, pulling the silk sack out. He raises his hand up, the string pinched between his fingers as the sack itself dangles inches below. Drawing my bow back I aim for the string, letting my arrow fly. It speeds past right in front of the priest's face and catches the string, ripping the jewel shards right from his grasp and pinning them against the opposite wall.
'Dude…I'm good.' I can't help patting my own back for a second.
"So it's been you all along!" Inuyasha snarls from beside me, and the priest turns to look at us finally.
With his significantly longer neck.
With an evil smirk he stands, turning to face us completely. "I could hardly contain myself when I heard of you. The half-demon rumored to possess the fragments of the Sacred Jewel!" Large pincer like fangs drop from each corner of his mouth, his neck elongating even further. Helpless we watched as his neck bent around and he bit into the wall right over where the jewel shards were hanging, effectively swallowing them whole.
'Well, that's not good.' Mayumi speaks up nervously.
'You don't say?' I can't help responding, swallowing thickly. My eyes widen as his arm elongates across towards us, taking Inuyasha by the neck and slamming him up against the wall.
"What an unfortunately turn of events that your super-human powers have deserted you, and by the time I tie the final knot on my gauzy web of deceit." The priest teases. I feel my energy spike as it sparks in my hands, but Inuyasha discreetly shakes his head, telling me he can handle this. I lower it before the demon can notice, hands clenched tightly into fists.
"I may be human tonight, but I'm still going to kick your ass old man!" Inuyasha grabs onto the hand on his neck, twisting it until the grip loosens and tossing his arm away. He takes the momentum, bracing his feet against the wall and launching himself across the room.
Only to be cut short when he's coated in webbing, slamming back against the floor.
To hell with his fucking pride!
I tap into my energy then, Inuyasha slowly being raised from the ground and still trapped in the webbing as the priest comes before him.
"Finally this tiring charade of being human is dead!" The priest cries out joyously, speaking to himself. He glows brightly then, webbing appearing all around us. It was easy to see the likeness to a spiderweb…other than it was made with his eight legs all interconnecting.
'He's one of them.' My eyes widen in realization as I take in his large green body. Before I hadn't been sure exactly what we were dealing with when it came to the priest's body modifications, but now it was undeniable. As the priest's head lunges forward towards Inuyasha I notch another arrow and aim for it's head, but he was moving so fast. My arrow whizzes right in front of his face, just barely grazing the tip of his nose. He howls in pain, his face rearing back before turning his angry glare to me, the tip of his nose charred from my energy.
"Run!" Inuyasha shouts, but it's too late. The priest snarls lowly, before his head is racing towards me. I drop my bow, throwing my arms out in front of me as I create a barrier with my aura. It hardly fazes him, not with all the jewel shards he now possessed, and his head breaks through as my aura shatters like glass. Then next thing I know I feel an intense pressure on my shoulder, followed by the worst pain I had ever felt. It's so bad that I can't even scream, my entire body feeling frozen as he bites down harder.
"YUA!" I could hear Shippo's voice through it all, my racing heart stopping in an instant.
'No…no, what are you doing here?!' I can't help but think desperately.
"Master!" Nuzuna's cry comes out seconds later. The idiots! They should have stayed where they were in the forest! He lets go of me then, and I fall to the floor weakly, feeling like my legs were made of lead. I look up towards Inuyasha, who seems to be sluggishly struggling in the webbing.
'The webbing paralyses it's victims.' I remember Nazuna saying.
'You need to get him loose before he's fully paralyzed.' Mayumi states urgently. 'You're injured, but your not powerless!'
I frown as I stand placing my hands in front of me with the heels touching and gathering my energy between the palms of my hands. The priest turns his attention back to me, having been just about to go after the others. His eyes are wide as the orb builds in my hands, realizing it's too late to try and move as it grows to the same size as me. With a yell I let it go, the energy connecting with the demon and pushing him backwards with a horrified yell. The entire hut shakes as he slams through the wall, crashing down into the ground beyond and skidding along it towards the trees the bordered the temple.
"Shippo! Use your foxfire to free Inuyasha!" I exclaim, Shippo doing as I ask almost instantly. As he does I look towards the path of destruction my attack had left behind, the ground where the priest's body had been dragged was tore up as far as the eye could see.
'Woah…not too shabby.' I think to Mayumi weakly then, my body shaking from the exertion of power. It had been the biggest single use of my energy to this day, and I was shocked I was still standing.
'You're telling me. You need to use the rest of your energy to heal yourself.' Mayumi frowns. 'After that you'll be completely depleted.'
"Foxfire!" Shippo shouts, burning away the webbing and helping Inuyasha to remove it from himself when he lands on the floor. A great roar can be heard in the far distance, and I wince as I grip onto my bleeding shoulder. Inuyasha quickly shakes off what little paralysis had settled in before Shippo had cut him loose, rushing over to me.
"Are you alright?" He asks, brown eyes concerned as he takes in the bleeding puncture wounds on my shoulder.
"There isn't time for this. We need to find somewhere to hide so you and I can both recoup." I reply, looking through the large hole left by the priest's body.
"Let's go then." Inuyasha frowns, looking towards Shippo as he grabs my bow, and Nazuna. "Nazuna, where could we barricade ourselves in?"
"Follow me!" Nazuna states, turning sharply and heading into the main building across from our own. I move to follow, before I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. Looking over my shoulder there he was, evidently recovered and pissed as he crawls back through the hole.
"Let's go!" Inuyasha shouts, grabbing onto my wrist and pulling me after the others. I don't dare look back as I can hear the demon crashing through the hut after us, following us up into the larger main building. Nazuna leads us into a room, sliding the door shut after we're in and latching it.
Yeah, that wasn't going to be enough.
"The Tessaiga! Quick! Use it to barricade the door against the Spider-Head! Thrust the Tessaiga into the door!" Myoga cries out to me as he lands on my shoulder. Without a second thought I grab the sword from the stealth at Inuyasha's side, sticking it into the wood in the door just as we hear the priest crash against it.
"You wretches!" The priest cries out in pain. It had worked!
"The Tessaiga should be powerful enough to ward him off for some time." Myoga adds, and I feel my entire body relax hearing him. It would buy us time.
"Yua!" Shippo's cry is the only thing that alerts me to the fact I'm falling backwards, a set of strong arms catching me as my back lands against a solid chest. The comforting scent of pine overwhelms me as Inuyasha slowly drags me backwards to the far wall, sliding down with me against it. I thought for sure after he had me safely on the ground he'd let me go, but instead he wraps his arms around me, pulling me to lean back against his chest with his knees bent to either side of me. I felt so safe in that moment, surrounded by him, that I even close my eyes as I deliriously nuzzle my nose against his chest.
At least, I'd later argue with myself that I was delirious when I did that.
'Yua, focus on your wounds.' Mayumi frowns then, clearly noticing my semi-conscious state. Sluggishly I acknowledge her, before doing as she said, feeling warmth spread through my shoulder, thankfully drowning out the throbbing pain.
"This is all my fault." Inuyasha's voice grumbles lowly, my eyes snap open hearing him, looking around the room. Nazuna sat asleep against the opposite wall, her knees brought to her chest as her head rests against them. Shippo, meanwhile, had passed out cold on the floor from all the excitement. Had I passed out? I can feel Inuyasha's right arm moving as I remain still while looking ahead. Did he know I was awake? His right hand comes to rest gently the side of my head, holding it to his chest as his other arm tightens around my middle. My chest aches with the onslaught of emotions that hit me as he holds me like this. It was tender, caring…protective. It strikes me harder than ever to realize that he wants to protect me. I have gone through most of my life looking after myself, and here was a man holding me, looking after me.
'No one has ever held me like he has.' I think to myself as all the other times come rushing back to me. When he had touched his forehead to mine after I had spooked during our first training session together. When he pulled me in after thinking Shippo and I had been killed by Hiten. He had wiped my tears away, and let me find comfort in him when I was scared. Snapping my eyes closed as I could feel tears burning at them. A couple slip out as I squeeze my eyes tightly closed, streaking a path down each cheek.
'Oh, Yua…' Mayumi trails off sadly, realizing everything I was feeling in that moment.
Was this what if felt like to be genuinely cared for?
Forcing back the tears I shift slightly in his arms, pretending to be waking. He snatches his right hand from the side of my head, his arm instantly loosening from around my waist. I shift to lean back, shoulder stiff, but the wounds sealed. Mayumi had been right, though, my energy was so low that I could barely even touch it. Looking up into Inuyasha's human brown eyes, I give him a small smile.
"Hey." I murmur softly, not really sure what to say in that moment as he blinks down at me.
"Hey." He returns just as quietly. "Your shoulder, how is it?" He asks after a moment. I roll it experimentally, stretching the newly repaired muscles out.
"Stiff, but healed." I reply, sighing heavily before gently pressing my hand to his chest to prop myself up away from him. I could tell by the awkward look on his face he needed some space, and he definitely wasn't going to admit to holding me as tenderly as he had moments ago when he had thought me asleep. I reluctantly let my hand drop from his firm chest, the warmth he had given me now gone as I sat back. "How about you? How are you feeling?" I ask gently, and he scoffs softly.
"Like a weak human." He bites out, clearly frustrated with himself. I frown at him, shaking my head as I move to sit on my knees facing him from my spot between his legs.
"Don't be so hard on yourself."
"How can I not be?" Inuyasha snaps, glaring at me. "I couldn't stop the Spider-Head from getting the jewel shards. Hell, if my senses hadn't been weakened I could have smelt the demon on him when we arrived! Shippo had to save me just now! The kid!" He huffs, looking over my shoulder to where Shippo was still sleeping. "I couldn't protect the jewel shards. I couldn't protect you-"
"It's not just your job to protect us!" I frown at him then, not wanting him to be beating himself up over that.
"Yes it is! You're my pack!" Inuyasha exclaims, before his face goes from being angry to a shocked look of revelation. It was like he was seeing something for the first time himself as he sits back against the wall heavily, the silence now hanging in the air. I frown in confusion at his behavior, Mayumi's words from earlier ringing through my head.
'You need to remember that he is part dog demon, and dog demons typically have a need to belong to a group. A pack.'
'This is what Mayumi had meant before. He sees himself as the Alpha in our group, the protector.' I realize in shock. "Inuyasha…" I trail off softly as we stare at one and other. I couldn't look away, something drawing me in like it never had before with him. I felt warmth spread over my skin, like I was pressed up against him once more.
Why was my chest aching even more? Tightening up to the point it felt hard to breathe?
His brown eyes are soft as they watch me carefully, before he opens his mouth to speak. Light streaming in from the nearby window, however, distracts us both.
"It's almost morning." I state softly, looking back to Inuyasha then as his own eyes stay locked on the window.
Suddenly the entire building starts to shake.
Shippo wakes with a startled cry, getting up and grabbing my bow he had laid beside, pushing it into my hands before wrapping himself into my side.
"What's happening?!" Shippo demands fearfully, his fur standing on end.
"The priest must be in pursuit again!" Myoga exclaims as he jumps onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "Master! We need to get out of here!" Before we can move the entire building starts to collapse around us, the ceiling crumbling and pieces falling to the ground. Inuyasha moves, kneeling over both Shippo and I to cover us from some of the debris as he glares up at the priest now visible overhead.
"This guy is seriously starting to piss me off." Inuyasha growls lowly. My eyes snap to what is left of the doorway as Tessaiga clatters uselessly to the ground. Nazuna grabs at it, naively standing in front of the demon.
"How dare you possess my dear Master?!" She demands bravely, pointing Tessaiga up at him.
"There was never any priest here! It was all a trap to lure the half-demon and his jewels to me!" The Spider-Head demon responds cruelly, visibly shocking Nazuna.
"You? You slaughtered my parents and all the other villagers?!" She cries out in pained disbelief.
"Nazuna! Get out of there!" I shout desperately to the girl, grabbing my bow and notching an arrow. It would be useless without my powers, though. The demon laughs cruelly down at the young girl, standing nearly fifty feet above her.
"You served me well, gullible fool!" The Spider-Head demon states with humor in his voice.
"Traitorous beast!" Nazuna exclaims angrily, running forward to wail on his let with the dully sword. It bounces off of him, sending Nazuna stumbling back before one of his clawed hands reaches out and grabs her. She drops the sword from her weakened grasp, Inuyasha catching it beside me. Quickly I send an arrow flying towards the Spider-Head's face, watching as it bounces uselessly off of his skin like Tessaiga had.
It catches his attention, though.
"You!" He glares at me, before throwing Nazuna carelessly to the side.
"Shippo!" I exclaim, looking to the demon at my side. He nods, racing over towards Nazuna's falling body and turning himself into the large balloon like creature we had first met him as. I watch with relief as he catches her, her body bouncing to the ground off of him and landing much softer than she would have had Shippo not intervened.
"I'll take more pleasure consuming you than her." He growls at me, six of his arms reaching for me. Inuyasha quickly shoves me out of the way, and I land hard on the ground with a grunt as he's grabbed instead.
"Inuyasha!" I exclaim in fear, but he looks so calm as he's pulled up by the former priest to face level.
"Look, the sun is coming up!" Shippo exclaims as he runs to my side, pointing to the horizon. I look from it to Inuyasha, wondering if he would get his super-human powers back in time.
"You're a fine human specimen." The Spider-Head growls lowly as he looks over him hungrily.
"Don't be so sure about that." Inuyasha replies cockily, the sun slowly raising behind him. His body pulses as the first rays of light hit his back. His eyes glow red, hair slowly turning from root to tip back to the familiar silver. The Spider-Head's eyes widen with realization.
"Your transformation will be of no use if I consume you first!" He exclaims hastily, raising Inuyasha high into the sky above him.
"If there is one thing I can't stand, it's an arrogant spider who doesn't know when to keep his hands off!" Inuyasha shouts angrily before swinging his arm outwards. The yellow hue of his aura has returned as his claws easily slice through the arms currently gripping him. I feel relief spill over me as I stand, looking up at him in awe. "The moonless night has come to an end!" He exclaims, raising Tessaiga high above his head. The sword transforms this time into the mighty fang, gleaming in the early sunlight.
"You've returned to full power?!" The Spider-Head exclaims in disbelief, it's eyes wide and filled with fear.
"You've got it Spider-Head!" Inuyasha responds, before letting out a battle cry as he comes down on the demon, his energy shinning brightly through Tessaiga as it makes contact. The Spider-Head explodes on impact, Inuyasha's aura washing over the entire temple and taking it's followers with it. When the light clears all that is left of the Spider-Head are the jewel shards it had ingested, all infused together into one larger piece on the ground. It was barely a fourth of the jewel itself, I noticed, as I knelt down to pick it up.
"Wow…" I murmur in genuine awe, picking it up and holding it out for Shippo and Inuyasha to see as they both approached. Inuyasha's amber eyes looked at it with wonder as well, before disappointment crosses his face.
"I had thought we were farther along than that." He sighed, before taking Tessaiga and shoving it back into it's sheath. I blink as I look up at him, finding his handsome face frowning.
"I mean, it's more than I thought we had." I reply honestly, before looking back down at it. I sigh softly, standing then. The others had moved around towards the hut we had been staying in, Shippo and Nazuna working together to try and shift through the debris to find our things. "Hey, how are you feeling now?" I ask lightly.
"Much better." Inuyasha replies with a relieved sigh. "I always hate when this happens." He admits, flexing his right hand, his claws returned. I honestly can't blame him for feeling that way. If I all of a sudden lost my powers for good, I'd feel pretty defenseless too. I knew personally how that wasn't a good feeling.
"So, any other secrets I should be aware of?" I press since we're alone, placing my hands on my hips. Inuyasha scoffs, shaking his head, before wordlessly turning around and heading over to find the others. I roll my eyes.
Yep, he was back to normal alright.
Well there ya have it! As promised, I updated before this weekend when this story reached 80 reviews (84 now!). So like I said, if I can get 13 reviews for this chapter, I'll post again before this weekend :).
All the best!
T.O.T.
